THE Yokohama business district's ultra-modern shopping mall is the last place you would expect to come across the 42-year-old leather football that Sir Bobby Charlton smashed into Portugal's net twice in the 1966 World Cup.

But that is exactly what I found as I went in search of an early-morning coffee, having woken at 5.30am because of jet-lag.

As I wandered around the vast building, I stumbled across an antique shop with the '66 ball on a plinth in the window! It was from the World Cup semi at Wembley, during which United's legend nabbed two goals in a 2-0 victory that sent Alf Ramsey's side through.

It certainly looked authentic, but perhaps when Sir Bobby arrives here in Japan he could verify that.

THERE was a conflict of interest for Sir Alex Ferguson when fellow Scot Darren Fletcher answered a press conference question.

The United boss is famously and fiercely patriotic, but when his Old Trafford midfielder addressed a Japanese journalist he didn't even flinched when he put down his own international colleagues.

Fletcher, responding to a question about Japanese fans, said: "The knowledge among the fans here of European and world football is good.

"Even when we were here with Scotland, who have so-called lesser names than United, the fans still knew a lot of the players and had signs up bearing the players names."

Normally Fergie would have bristled about the Scots being demeaned - but not when United are involved!

JAPANESE fans really have been proving their loyalty while United are in town. They have even been lining up, in their typical disciplined and courteous manner, outside the Reds' hotel at 5am.

JI-SUNG Park is big in Japan and is urging fellow Asians and follow his lead and head for European football.

The South Korean midfielder played in the J-League for Kyoto over here before moving to PSV Eindhoven then Old Trafford.

"It's amazing how much Asian football has developed over the past ten years," he said.

"There's still a big difference but I'd fully recommend Asian players to make the move. It's going to make them, as individuals, and Asian football better." Tweet